If not me, then who? Many cant, many won’t, but if one can then they should not be afraid to.

I can’t help but look for the best in people. When I first moved away from my family in London, to live in the vale of Aylesbury, my family were made to feel very welcome and we rapidly became part of an active and vibrant community. Soon we were involved in fund raising activities for the village people. For a couple of years we ran Indian food stalls during local events, which gained popularity year on year. Subsequently I organised a traditional village fete with a successful twist that managed to raise more money than ever before and then we did it again the following year!

I also organised Diwali events within the village which were thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. The dressing up, dancing, Indian food, lighting the sky with fireworks and even gambling – a north Indian tradition believe it or not that does form part of Diwali. I recall a weeklong sessions of temporary casino activities taking place in my grandparents home, where anyone would come and play cards with a hope that Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth) would grace them with good fortune.

We just organised Aylesbury’s first  Diwali Mela  on the 21st October – a huge step up from a small village do with even more logistical rigmaroles and headaches! I often found myself asking – why on earth do I take on these tasks?  The answer is, that  I have a passion that makes  me want to see others have a good time – and to join with the festivities too of course!

I have often thought that when you decide to do something worthwhile, somehow the universe presents you with solutions to make it happen- in this case, a team of dedicated and resourceful individuals who gave up their precious spare time. I am now sure that if you truly believe in yourself and your cause, new openings will become apparent, and rest assured it will happen.

We have created a gallery of memories for you to enjoy and share. Please give your feedback and stay ‘tooned’ to hear about our next event. Thats all folks!

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Although it was I (Poonam Gupta owner of Holy Cow Home)  that initiated this successful event, I had to rely heavily on key people and organisations, especially considering the last minute change of venue due to the weather conditions:

Venues: Aylesbury Town Partnership, Shoot Music, Bucks County Museum, Hale Leys Shopping Centre

Special Guests: Mayor of Aylesbury Cllr Tom Hunter-Watts, Deputy Mayor Cllr Mark Willis and Ex Mayor Cllr Ranjula Takodra

Entertainment: RajD – vocalist; Jay Kumar Bollywood  Dance choreographer and entertainer with his team of Jai Ho Dancers; Dhol Movement; Young Bharatnatyam Dancers; A Star Rickshaw for rides and photobooth

Food: Jyoti Street Food and Chai and KK South Indian Catering

Traders and Stalls: Holy Cow Home, Mistry Henna, Shruthi Henna

Story Time: Lovely family Geetangli & Neetan and their boys Khush and Dhruv

So many volunteers and raffle prize donations from various businesses and individuals. Not forgetting the biggest and most special thanks to the many guests who attended, and making it a day to remember.